Over the past week or so, large scale protests by Muslims in various countries have shaken the world. The protests took place over a film produced in the US by a person of Coptic-Egyptian descent, which greatly insulted the prophet Muhammad and depicts him in a very crude manner. Some of the protests have turned violent, notably with the killing of the US ambassador in Libya, when violent protesters attacked the US embassy there. Many of the protests have been aimed at the West, specifically the US, but have failed to recognize the fact that the film was produced without any US government endorsement and the film is protected by free speech Continue reading →

Over the past week, a serious diplomatic scandal has brewed up between Hungary, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The story starts like this: an Azeri officer, Ramil Safarov, along with an Armenian officer, attended a NATO Partnership for Peace conference in Hungary where, during the meeting, the Azeri officer alleged that the Armenian officer insulted his country. At some point thereafter, Ramil Safarov purchased an ax, which he used to brutally murder the sleeping Armenian officer at night, nearly severing his head. He then attempted to kill another sleeping Armenian officer in another room, but was not able to get through the door before he was finally caught by authorities. For his brutal murder, the Azeri officer was sentenced to life in a Hungarian prison without the possibility of parole until 2036. However, during the time of the sentencing, the murderer was Continue reading →

The Olympics is a time when national pride runs high as people from all around the world watch and cheer for their country in this spectacular sporting event. In these moments, athletes often show off their national flags as a sign of pride for the country they are representing. Leo Manzano, an athlete representing the US, decided to hold up two flags when winning the silver medal: one of the US, where he grew up, and the other of Mexico, where he was born and is currently a citizen, despite leaving at an early age. This display of dual patriotism drew controversy among the public with people criticizing Manzano’s dual display, while others viewed it understandably given his dual identity as a Mexican American and his roots in both countries. The athlete later went on to say to the media that he was Continue reading →

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about a possible US-Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. Both the United States and Israel have continuously accused Iran of attempting to develop nuclear weapons, and as a means of pressuring the sovereign state, have encouraged other nations to join in imposing harsh economic sanctions. Additionally, both the US and Israel have also made military strike an option on the table. The continuous rhetoric in the past years and in recent months has led many people to begin contemplating what the implications of a potential strike would be.

Iran is a very large and geographically diverse country with strong military and economic capabilities. Its nuclear facilities are spread across its terrain in deep and hidden areas, hence, any potential military strike would have to Continue reading →

The general election may be generating a lot of noise, but there’s hardly any sound coming from the historic referendum, or plebiscite, about to take place in Puerto Rico on November 6th of this year. The first of its kind to be sponsored by the federal government, the ballot will be composed of two parts to determine the territorial status of Puerto Rico. In the first part, its residents will be asked whether they want to continue the status quo as a territory of the U.S. Regardless of this answer, they will then be asked a second question in which they indicate a preference among three alternatives: statehood, complete independence, or a compact of free association with the U.S. The plebiscite emerges as the result of Continue reading →